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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Create an adjustment layer
Why an adjustment layer? Because you can apply the sharpening once and it affects every clip beneath it, instead of copying effects onto each clip one by one.
Go to the Project panel, click the New Item button at the bottom right and choose Adjustment Layer from the menu. Leave the settings as they are and click OK.
One click with Mako: the free Mako panel adds an adjustment layer over the selected clips, at the playhead, on the first free track, in one click. Get Mako for free
Step 2: Place it above your clips
Drag the adjustment layer from the Project panel into the timeline and drop it on a video track above your footage. Then drag its right edge so it covers every clip you want to improve. Anything the layer does not cover keeps its original look, so make sure it is as long as the section you are working on.
Step 3: Add the Sharpen and Unsharp Mask effects
Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects) and type Sharpen into the search box. Under Video Effects > Blur & Sharpen you will find both effects you need. Drag Sharpen onto the adjustment layer, then drag Unsharp Mask onto the same layer.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Unsharp Mask and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 4: Set the sharpening values
Select the adjustment layer in the timeline and open Effect Controls. Set these values:
- Sharpen > Sharpen Amount: 20
- Unsharp Mask > Amount: 100
- Unsharp Mask > Radius: 3
Sharpen gives a gentle overall boost, while Unsharp Mask increases contrast along edges, which is what makes skin texture, hair and fine detail pop. The video leaves Threshold at 0.
Step 5: Play it back and compare
Press the spacebar to play the clip, or toggle the fx switch on the adjustment layer to flip between before and after. The picture should look noticeably crisper without looking harsh. If you see crunchy edges or a glowing halo around the subject, you have gone too far, so lower the Unsharp Mask amount or radius until it looks natural.
Tips
- Sharpening is not magic. It brings out detail that is already in your footage. A soft, out-of-focus or heavily compressed clip will still look soft, only with extra edge contrast.
- Judge at 100 percent. Set the Program Monitor zoom to 100% before you fine-tune, because sharpening looks different when the picture is scaled down to fit.
- Keep it subtle for faces. Heavy sharpening exaggerates skin texture, so lower the values if your subject is a close-up portrait.
FAQ
Can you really increase video quality in Premiere Pro?
You cannot add resolution that was never recorded, but you can improve the perceived quality. Sharpening, plus good export settings, makes footage look clearer and more detailed.
Why use an adjustment layer instead of applying the effects to each clip?
One adjustment layer affects everything beneath it, so you set the values once and every clip gets the same look. You can also change the numbers later in one place.
What is the difference between Sharpen and Unsharp Mask?
Sharpen is a simple one-slider effect for a general boost. Unsharp Mask gives you Amount, Radius and Threshold controls, so you can decide how strong the edge contrast is and how wide it spreads.
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